Quang Ngai: Preserving traditional craft villages associated with tourism development

In recent times, Quang Ngai province has had many community tourism models associated with traditional craft experiences such as tours to experience pottery making, salt making, brocade weaving, farming...

Students experience silkworm farming in Nghia Hanh district, Quang Ngai province. (Photo: VNA)

Quang Ngai not only has many famous landscapes but is also a land rich in cultural and historical traditions, with a diversity of craft villages that are hundreds of years old. In recent years, the province has oriented the development of traditional craft villages associated with tourism through activities to widely promote brands and products to tourists.

Revival of traditional crafts

In the past, the land along the Phuoc Giang River through Nghia Hanh District was famous for growing mulberry and raising silkworms. However, this profession only flourished for a short time, due to lack of planning, strict farming techniques, and unstable prices.

It was thought that the mulberry growing and silkworm raising profession had died out, but since 2015, the price of silkworm cocoons has been stable, and the products produced have been guaranteed, so the mulberry growing and silkworm raising profession here has gradually revived. The local government encourages people to preserve and develop the silkworm raising profession in conjunction with experiential tourism, promoting the image of the craft village.

The silkworm farm of Ms. Vo Thi Thu An’s family is one of the places that often welcomes tourists to visit and take photos. Along with that, the cooked silkworms have become a popular item consumed as gifts for tourists. Thanks to that, silkworm farmers in the village have an additional source of income.

According to Ms. An, to maintain her profession, she uses 5 sao of cropland to grow mulberry trees interspersed with fruit trees. Thanks to that, she always ensures a food source for silkworms.

"Growing mulberry and raising silkworms is not hard work but brings in much higher income than other crops such as cassava, corn, peanuts... Now that there is tourism development, more and more visitors come to visit. We have more income so we are very excited," Ms. An shared.

Since the advent of community tourism , the lives of Binh Thanh residents have gradually changed. The image of a prosperous and peaceful homeland has become known to many people. Annual income from fruit trees, mulberry farming and even from tourists has helped the residents have a more prosperous life.

Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hanh Nhan Commune, Huynh Van Toan, said that mulberry cultivation and silkworm raising have helped people make use of land and labor, and have a stable income. Along with that, the idea of developing experiential tourism in the craft village is also very suitable for the economic development trend of the locality. Therefore, the commune government has supported people to change the crop structure, restore mulberry land to raise silkworms, both creating jobs for people and serving the development of tourism to visit the craft village.

Along with the mulberry growing and silkworm raising, the ancient pottery making craft of Sa Huynh was also very famous in Quang Ngai. The locality is considered the “cradle” of Sa Huynh culture and pottery is the soul of that culture. For Sa Huynh residents, pottery plays an important role in daily life and spiritual activities.

Over thousands of years, the ancient pottery craft of Sa Huynh gradually fell into oblivion. But in 2023, with the support of the local government, the Sa Huynh Prehistoric Pottery Cooperative was established in Vinh An village, Pho Khanh commune with 7 members.

The cooperative has accompanied and supported the remaining potters in Sa Huynh to restore and simulate from shaping techniques to patterns, aiming to revive the ancient pottery of Sa Huynh residents dating back 2,000-3,000 years ago; and organize activities for visitors.

Although newly established, the cooperative has welcomed many tourist groups to visit and experience, especially students.

Introducing ancient Sa Huynh pottery making to tourists. (Photo: VNA)

Pham Thi Thu Hanh, a student at Duc Pho High School No. 2, said: "I really enjoyed experiencing a day of making pottery, touching the wheel, stroking, molding and shaping with my own hands. This activity helped me access cultural knowledge, especially when it was associated with experiences that brought me many positive values, helping me understand more about the traditions of my homeland, the land and people of Sa Huynh."

Talking about her profession, Ms. Tran Thi My (58 years old), Vinh An village, Pho Khanh commune shared that she has known how to make pottery since she was a child, the main products are pots and kettles made of terracotta.

Being able to participate and accompany the Sa Huynh Prehistoric Pottery Cooperative in restoring this pottery line not only helps her earn more income from new products but also gives her pride in her traditional profession and joy in contributing to the preservation of the unique ancient Sa Huynh culture.

Sustainable craft village development

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quang Ngai province, the whole province currently has 1 craft village, 5 traditional craft villages and 7 traditional occupations recognized by the Provincial People's Committee.

Craft villages in the province are diverse in types and rich in products, developed in many different occupational groups such as agricultural-forestry-fishery processing, handicrafts, mechanics, ornamental plants...

There are more than 5,500 production and business establishments operating in 7 groups of industries according to Decree 52/2018/ND-CP. Of these, 107 enterprises, 33 cooperatives, 7 cooperative groups and 5,424 households, with annual revenue of more than 964 billion VND/year, creating jobs for more than 9,500 workers, with an average income of 4.1 million VND/person/month.

Artisans craft prehistoric Sa Huynh pottery products. (Photo: Tuan Duc/VNA)

According to Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Tien Dung, in recent times, Quang Ngai province has had many community tourism models associated with traditional craft experiences such as tours to experience pottery making, salt making, brocade weaving, farming...

These tourism models not only contribute to promoting local economic development, increasing people's income by bringing tourists to experience products and services, increasing consumption of craft village products, but also help promote products and values of craft villages, thereby preserving and effectively promoting the cultural values of craft villages.

However, to develop craft villages associated with tourism in a systematic and long-term manner, more investment is needed, the products created must meet the needs of tourists and must be specifically identified. On the other hand, the active support of local authorities is also a "lever" for traditional crafts to be developed and upgraded.

Therefore, to develop craft villages in a sustainable direction associated with tourism, in the coming time, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will support artisans to stick with their profession and promote vocational training activities; support investment in infrastructure for craft villages, along with planning concentrated production areas and supporting vocational training.

The Department plans raw material areas; assigns management and exploitation rights to local communities, guides sustainable exploitation processes; further strengthens forms of information and product promotion..., Mr. Dung added./.

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